The Civic Minute: what’s going on at Citrus Heights City Hall? (July 25)

During the Citrus Heights City Council’s July 25 meeting, city leaders will meet behind closed doors to discuss a lawsuit involving a man who was severely burned on hot pavement during an altercation with police two years ago. The council will also consider accepting a Homeland Security grant and approving a $175,000 switch to a new document management system.

Here’s a brief summary of what’s included in the 177-page agenda packet:

SPECIAL MEETING (5:45 p.m.)

• Closed session. Council members will meet with legal counsel regarding James Nelson v. City of Citrus Heights, which is existing litigation in federal court. Nelson suffered severe burns while being held down on hot pavement during an altercation with Citrus Heights police in 2017. The City Council will also meet with legal counsel to discuss another separate case, involving anticipated litigation. Additional details were not listed.

REGULAR MEETING (7:00 p.m.)

Literacy Day. The regular council meeting will begin with a proclamation by the city declaring Sept. 8, 2019, as Sacramento County’s Literacy Day.

Electronic Document Management. City staff are recommending the council approve a contract with Inland Business Systems to replace the city’s outdated electronic document management system, known as SIRE. The transition and costs for the first year are projected to not exceed $175,000, with annual maintenance costs of $13,300 per following year.

Citrus Heights Transit Plan Project. The City Council will consider formal acceptance of a comprehensive Citrus Heights-centric transit plan, which was authorized in 2017 and approved last year. The development of the plan cost $207,300, with the bulk funded by the federal government. (See full plan)

Homeland Security Grant. The council will consider authorizing the acceptance of $8,100 in funds from a Homeland Security Grant Program to update the city’s Emergency Operations Plan. Funds will be used to hire a consultant to renew the city’s existing plan.

Quarterly Treasurer’s Report. The council will consider routine acceptance and filing of a quarterly treasurer’s report for the period ending June 30, 2019. The five-page report summarizes the city’s various investment accounts and shows the market value of the city’s cash and investments at $17.5 million, up from $14.9 million at the end of 2018.

Street controversy. The council will consider a staff recommendation to resolve an access-related issue on Charolais Way. The issue dates back to the 1970s when the area was governed by the county. A narrow portion of the street has been causing escalating disputes with neighbors over parking and access.

Landscape/lighting Maint. More than 100 pages of the agenda packet are devoted to three agenda items, all related to annual updates for various landscape and lighting assessment districts in the city. Assessment districts are areas with special fees tacked onto property taxes for certain parcels in the city to cover specific maintenance of areas associated with those parcels. The council is slated to vote on initiating proceedings for updates to the assessments, but future public hearings will be set before updates are adopted.

The City Council meeting will convene for closed session at 5:45 p.m. on July 25, 2019, at 6360 Fountain Square Drive. The regular meeting will follow at 7 p.m. The full agenda packet can be viewed by clicking here.